Le Main de Dieu (Hand of God) causes an international debate on FIFA’s fairplay campaign

 
Last night’s result is causing an International incident with thousands contacting FIFA via their website. The FAI petitioning for a replay and now Brian Cowen is to speak to the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, last seen congratulating the cheating  Henry. Cowen is in Brussels on EU business and told reporters that “Fairplay is very important in sport & we support the FAI’s bid to get the match replayed”. French Prime Minister Francois Filon has said that the Irish government shouldn’t be meddling in the affair. The FAI need the Federation Football De France (FFF) to back their call for a replay but the indications from their HQ at Charlerois is that they will resist any attempt to have the match replayed.

FAI Chief Executive, John Delaney says that it’s now up to FIFA and the French Football Federation to arrange a replay of last night’s World Cup play-off. The Association have written to the World governing body and their French counter-parts, asking for a rematch to be held, after the French via Thierry Henry’s hand ball goal qualified for the World Cup in South Africa. FIFA have already said that the result of the game cannot be reviewed and that they won’t be organising a replay. However, John Delaney says that if both requests are turned down, the Association will assess if they can take further action.

In a statement released today John Delaney says there is precedent for the invalidation of such results. He added, in 2005, the Bureau of the FIFA World Cup organising committee reached a decision to invalidate the result of a World Cup qualification match between Uzbekistan and Bahrain on the basis of a “technical error by the referee of the match. He also said if FIFA go by their morals of “fair play” they will do something about this.

Also it has emerged today Gillette have no plans to sack Thierry Henry following his role in ending the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup dream. A Gillette spokesman said: ‘Gillette is aware of what happened last night in the World Cup play-off game. Thierry Henry has publicly acknowledged it was a handball. ‘Gillette are not placed to comment on any refereeing decisions made in the match or any refereeing at all for that matter. ‘This is not going to affect our relationship with Thierry Henry.’

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.